The Peculiar Children Meet the Monstrumologist
by JillCarder
Summary: In this combination of two thrilling tales, Jacob and the rest of the Peculiar Children embark on an adventure with the help of the Monstrumologist.


"Warthrop! WARTHROP!" Constable Morgan bellowed as his fist repeatedly met Dr. Warthrop's door. His fist was poised mid-knock when Dr. Pellinore Warthrop's face appeared in the now open doorway.

"Morgan! How good to see you." Warthrop said evenly. Behind him, Will Henry, the doctor's young apprentice, stumbled sleepily down the stairs. It was nearly two in the morning, but late-night calls are not an unusual occurrence at the residence of the local monstrumologist. The damp New England night air flowed through the doorway as Dr. Warthrop beckoned to Constable Morgan, "Well, come in. To what do Mr. Henry and I owe this visit?" The Constable and Dr. Warthrop move out of the doorway into the library. The doctor gestures for Morgan to take a seat; Morgan obliges.

"You mean to tell me you have no idea of what has been occurring lately?" Morgan replied, obviously annoyed by the doctor's apparent ignorance.

"And what is it that I am supposed to be aware of?"

"Why, the happenings around town!" The constable's annoyance was quickly escalating to pure rage. "In the past week, five people have gone missing. They seemed to just disappear. But tonight, one of them has been found. He was caught in a fisherman's net, mutilated." Morgan looked at Dr. Warthrop expectantly.

"That is most unfortunate. But I fail to see how this news brings you to my door at this hour."

"You mean to tell me that you have no idea _what_ is responsible for these mysterious deaths?"

That word suddenly caught Will Henry's attention. The constable had said _what_ is responsible for the deaths, not _who_ is responsible. A cold shiver went up the young boy's spine. It was the same feeling he always had when an unusual midnight call led to a great and terrible adventure.

"Why would you presume that I knew anything about them?" the doctor asked with a tone of pure innocence, though the constable's tale had intrigued him somewhat.

"Well, wwell," the constable stammered, "because of your particular…"

"Yes? My particular what?"

"Your—profession, and skill sets."

"Ahh. Might I ask what exactly about this situation made you think of me instead of a stark mad serial killer?"

"It's just, when we found the body—Well Warthrop, no human could have done it. And it's not exactly the first string of strange murders New Jerusalem has witnessed." The constable seemed to have calmed down. His tone sounded more embarrassed than angry, now that he realized the doctor truly was unaware of the entire situation.

"I see. Let me assure you, Morgan, that my studies in my _profession,_ as you say, have not as of late included anything even close to our sleepy town of New Jerusalem. I would, however, be happy to examine the body to see if my particular services will be needed on your case."

This answer seemed to satisfy the constable. The doctor, the constable, and Will Henry quickly prepared to go to the fisherman's dock, where the body was still caught in the nets, untouched. On the way out the door the constable paused in the doorway and asked, "Warthrop, surely the boy doesn't need to accompany us on _this_ mission?"

To which Warthrop replied, "He is indispensable to me."

At the doctor's ruling, Will Henry placed his new hat upon his head and followed the men out the door.

At the docks, the body was untangled from the net and laid out for the doctor to see. It looked to be a young girl in her early twenties. What was left of her face hung in strips from her cheekbones, barely attached. The one eye that was still intact was frozen open in a look of complete terror. Her chest was ripped open, only a large, bloody cavity remained. Most of her limbs were missing. The ones still attached hung loosely, positioned about her as though she was a contortionist. The girl's white organza nightgown was shredded to pieces. Will Henry observed all of this coldly. The constable was right; no man could have mutilated such a once lovely girl. This was the work of a monster.

"I shall look into it." the doctor said quietly.

The constable only nodded in reply.

"Snap to Will Henry! We have a long night ahead of us, and I'll be needing some tea." The doctor and his young apprentice made their way home, steeling themselves for the start of a new, chilling mission.

"Did you hear they found the Meyer girl last night?"

"Oh my, yes! Such a shame!"

"She was such a pretty girl."

"What kind of monster would destroy a sweet little thing like that?"

Jacob and Emma moved closer to the women's conversation in order to hear better. They exchanged a look. They had been in the small town of New Jerusalem for about a month now while they contemplated their next move. They thought they had found a temporary safe haven for Miss Peregrine and the kids. For a year now they had been leap frogging through different loops, trying to evade the deadly wights and their pet hollowgast. So far they had been safe, effectively evading the monsters that were hunting them. Now, after eavesdropping on the women's conversation in the market, Jacob and Emma were not so convinced of their safety.

The young couple quickly finished their shopping and rushed out of the store. They went immediately to their special place, a deserted warehouse rooftop that overlooked the ocean. Once they were alone Jacob broke the silence. "Emma, it sounded like that attack, on the girl was-"

Emma cut him off, "Don't say it Jacob. We don't know if it's true or not. Don't say it!"

"Emma, come on. People are getting killed. The shop lady said there were four other mysterious disappearances lately. You and I both know what this is."

"You seriously think it's hollowgast? There is no way one hollowgast could feed on five people in one week. Not possible, Jacob."

"But that attack, the way they described the girl—it sounded just like them." His face contorted as though he had just experienced an uncomfortable thought. "Unless, it was more than one, Emma."

She looked at him, this beautiful boy next to her. This boy who had protected her and her family of peculiars for the past year from the very monsters that seem to have found them again. "No, five dead civilians means at least ten hollowgast, maybe more."

"Yes. But think about it Emma, it makes sense. We are practically the only group of peculiars left. Miss Peregrine is almost the last ymbryne that the wights have not captured. They are concentrating their forces. They want us; they want her."

Emma sighed as she looked out over the cold Atlantic. "Fine," she said. "Let's go back to the house and tell the others. We'll pack up and move on through another loop."

"We can't just leave!" Jacob exclaimed.

"Why not? If we stay we'll be murdered. Eaten. Hollow food! Don't you understand yet?!" Emma said angrily.

Jacob tried to take her hand, but she immediately ripped it out of his. Gently, he told her, "Emma, we can't leave these innocents alone with TEN hollowgast and who knows how many wights. There aren't many animals here. The hollowgast will have to feed on humans. We can't just leave these people defenseless. We have to fight. We have to help them."

"Why can't we just go find Miss Cardinal like we planned? Let's just go. I can't bear to lose any more peculiars while fighting those _things_." She said the last word with pure disgust.

"If we go now, the wights will simply follow us. We don't have a choice. It's fight here and save human lives or fight at Miss Cardinal's and let these poor people die."

Emma didn't say anything. They both knew what needed to be done. They would tell the others. They would stay. They would fight. And, in all likelihood, they would die.

Will Henry opened the door to reveal a small group of about five teenagers staring at him. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"We're here to see the doctor" Jacob replied. "You see, we understand that this town has a problem that the doctor has taken a particular interest in. We're here to help him annihilate this problem because, well, because we sort of caused it."

Will Henry simply looked at them. He knew, of course, which problem they were speaking of. He was assisting the doctor in solving the mysterious deaths in the town as they spoke. He was, however, confused as to how this group of adolescents, not much older than himself, could possibly help. So he stood silently in the doorway, contemplating what he should do.

Just then, Will Henry heard Dr. Warthrop's voice bellow over his shoulder, "Snap to Will Henry! Show our guests in!"

Will Henry obeyed, showing the group to the library. There they all sat, staring at each other until the doctor spoke, "So, how are you going to help me?"

Jacob, the spokesperson of the little group said, "First, sir, you should understand what we're dealing with. The thing that has killed the girl, and likely the others missing from town is called-"

"Hollowgast, of course," the doctor said, cutting Jacob off, "these invisible hunters in the night. They eat peculiars so that they might become wights themselves one day. This of course, would make the group of you peculiars, children with unusual abilities. I know all of this. What I want to know is how you are going to help me."

Jacob and his friends sat dumbfounded. They had all been prepared to explain everything to Dr. Warthrop.

Finally, Emma spoke up. "Dr. Warthrop, Jacob can see them. We plan to help you kill them."

Dr. Warthrop smiled slightly. "Well then, let's get started, shall we?"

Will Henry was backed into a corner at this point. He, unlike Dr. Warthrop had no idea what these things were or what a group of teenagers could do to kill them. He only knew that he was about to be involved in another life-threatening monster hunt with the doctor. So he got up and followed the group through the kitchen into the basement, steeling himself for a long night of planning a hunt.

The next night, they were ready. Supplies had been gathered, and the motley group of peculiars, Dr. Warthrop, and Will Henry were about to walk out the front door of the doctor's house to set the trap for the hollowgast. Jacob pauses just outside of the door and asks, "Should he come?" He points at Will Henry. "I mean, he's just a kid, and he could get hurt, even killed."

Dr. Warthrop looked Jacob directly in the eye as he said, "He is indispensable to me."

Jacob did not question the doctor again.

Soon, they arrived at the graveyard. This was the spot where the trap had been set for the hollowgast. What was the trap? Miss Peregrine, per her insistence. The old bird perched in a circle of family graves, in a shiny brass cage. She would be the perfect bait, irresistible to the wights. And wherever the wights go, the hollowgast are sure to be nearby- especially with the promise of a peculiar meal.

So they waited. It was not long before the wight appeared, unable to resist the bait of a ymbryne. At the sight of him, the entire group tensed. They knew the hollowgast would soon be able to smell the peculiars. They got into position. A moment later, Jacob spotted them. They were moving fast, and going straight for his peculiar friends. Bronwyn, who was very strong, jumped down from her hiding place, right in the line of the hollowgast. She then turned and ran as fast as she could toward Miss Peregrine, and the hollowgast trap. The hollowgast took the bait. They ran as fast as they could toward Bronwyn. Just before she reached the trap, Olive, the one who can levitate, grabbed Bronwyn and lifted her over the tall oaks, out of the way of the trap. The hollowgast, however, did not see Bronwyn disappear over the trees. They continued running full force. Right under their feet, the ground opened up. All ten of the deadly hollowgast fell into this cavern. Jacob then gave the signal, and everyone jumped down upon the ground and circled around the hollowgast hole. Then, out came the weapons. Dr. Warthrop and Jacob were both armed with pistols. The rest stood behind them with small knives or clubs, ready to attack if the front line was overrun.

Soon, Jacob reported that all the hollowgast were dead. Cheers erupt among the peculiars. Will Henry breathes for the first time since he jumped from his tree to the ground. He looks for Dr. Warthrop, but he can't find him. Suddenly, he sees the doctor off near the woods. In his hand he has Constable Morgan, and in Constable Morgan's hand there was a rather large black bird in a shiny brass cage. Everyone stops, shocked. Jacob calmly walks up to the doctor, the constable, and the bird. He says, "Dr. Warthrop, Will Henry, peculiars I'd like you to meet Dr. Golan, my psychiatrist, aka my bus driver, aka my yardman, aka Constable Morgan, aka a wight."

The group gasps. Dr. Warthrop, still gripping the wight, is about to end him when Jacob shouts, "No!"

The doctor pauses in his act.

Jacob goes on, "Thank you for all of your help, Dr. Warthrop, but this is not your life to end. He is our problem, and we will take care of him when we reach another loop. If you kill him here, there will be evidence that you have killed a constable. If we take him, there will be no trace of him anywhere."

The doctor understands. He releases the wight to Bronwyn, the strong girl. The peculiar children gather together, having retrieved Miss Peregrine from the grips of the wight. Then Jacob says, "Thank you again for all you have done to help us. I am truly sorry that our presence in this place has caused so much destruction." The doctor nodded, and Jacob and the others turned to go, headed toward the loop that would lead them to Miss Cardinal. Jacob turns around once more and says, "Thank you too, Will Henry. Your services were indispensable to us." Then, the peculiars are gone.

Jacob and the peculiars walk on and on until they come to the sinkhole that would lead them to another place, another time, full of new memories. They all make it through the hole and come out on a snowy mountain. They are tired, and now they are cold. As they search for shelter in the home of Miss Cardinal, they hold each other close. This is their life now, this is their fate. They must fight to survive until the wights are all as dead as that constable and the ymbrynes and their children are safe. For now, Jacob and his friends are secure. They made it through, with the indispensable aide of a monstrumologist and his apprentice, but their adventure is far from over.


End file.
